1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a running position indicating apparatus for providing a running automobile with selected data on the direction and the distance to a destination.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional methods, a point of place where an automobile is running may be determined from a road sign or by referring to a map. It is very troublesome for a driver to determine a given point of place by this method, and it is substantially impossible for him to determine a given point while driving an automobile.
The running position indicator apparatus according to the present invention has been developed in view of these facts and comprises distance detector means for generating a distance signal associated with the distance covered by the automobile, direction detector means for generating a direction signal associated with the direction in which the automobile is running, destination setting means for generating set signals corresponding to the distance to the destination and the direction to be followed, which are set at the starting point, operation means for determining a running position between the starting point and the destination on the basis of the distance signal from the distance detector means, the direction signal from the direction detector means and the set signals from the destination setting means, the operation means producing data on the distance to the destination and the direction thereof from the running position, thus generating an indication signal corresponding to the data on distance and direction at predetermined intervals of distance or time, and indicator means for indicating the data on the distance to the destination and the direction thereof in the same indication section on the basis of the indication signal from the operation means. In this way, the running position indicator apparatus according to the present invention determines the positional relation between the destination, and the currently running point of place.